Bottom-discharge bucket and the like



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. A. P. PROVAY BOTTOM DISCHARGE BUCKET AND THE LIKEFiled March 22.

May 9 1924s May 3 1924.

G. A. P. PROVAY BOTTOM DISCHARGE BUCKET AND THE LIKE Filed March 22 1922Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 13, 1924. l

UNl'l'ED STATES GIUSEPPE ANTONIO PIETR O PROVAY,

rareur OFFICE.

BOTTOM-DISCHARGE BUCKET AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 22, 1922. Serial No. 545,729.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ('i'IUSEPlE An'roNIo Prnrno lnovAY, a citizen of theRepublic of Portugal, and resident of Lourenco lilurques, PortugueseEast Africa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBottom-Discharge Buckets and the like, for which I have obtained BritishPatent No. 183,569, dated July 25, 1922, and of which the following is aspecification.

This invention appertains to buckets or receptacles ot the kind used forreceiving, conveying and discharging fragmentary material, such as coal,rock, ore andthe like, or granular material, such as grain, sand and thelike, as well as pulverulent material. The bucket can, however, beadapted tor use for the conveyance and discharge or delivcry of liquids.

The object of these improvements is to construct a bucket or receptacleof the na-' ture specified in such a way that it can be employed for anyof the uses enumerated with an ordinary crane, winch or equivalentapparatus, as it can be manipulated with the aid oi: a single rope,chain or the like, and is entirely automatic. 1

The improved bucket after it has been loaded and conveyed to the pointatwhich the load is to be discharged will be caused to empty or dischargeits load by merely lowering it on to a support or on to the (lump, thenraising the sides or body of the bucket off the bottom and then liftingthe open bucket oi? the support. Upon returning the bucket to theloading point and lowering it into position on the support forreloading, the body or-sides are lowered and reassuine the closedposition in relation to the bottom, and the means which operate toretain said bottom in its closediposition operute automatically on thefurther lowering of the rope.

For the practical application of the inven tion the bucket com prisesthe body or sides which may of cylindrical or any other preferred shapeand a bottom movable relative to said body to form or provide betweenthem the opening through which the material is discharged. The bottom isshaped to fit the open lower end of the body and means are provided forguiding it into its proper closing position in the lower end thereof.

The body at the top 18 provided with ing to the discharging point.

end of the one and. inwardly means for suspending it from the rope,etc., of the crane, etc.

Means are connected to the movable bottom which serve for holding it inits closed position. during the loading of thebucket and whilst it isbeing transported to the discharging point. This connection will supportth weight of the bucketand its load whilst it isbeing transported fromthe load- Such connection may conveniently consist of a centrallypositioned rod or bar rigidly attached to the bottom and extendingvertically up through the body and passing through a guide provided ator near the top ofthesides or body of the bucket and extending to asuitable height above the same. Theupper portion of the rod may be madeof square or other suitable shape in cross section and the guide ofcorresponding shape to prevent rotation of said rod. Upon theupper endofthis rod there is arranged a member which slidingly but non-detachablyengages with the rod. This member is fashioned with apreferably squarehead or enlargement which forms shoulders or project-ions around the topof the member. It may be appropriately weighted to ensure its dueoperation.

yThe draw-bar which is provided at the upper end with means forconnectingit to the rope, etc., of the crane, works through aguide inthe top of the bucket frame.

Said draw-bar may also be of square shape in cross section and the guideof corresponding shape to prevent the bar from rotating. This bar at itslower end below its guide is suitably constructed to pivotally carry apair of bent levers which are oppositely disposed upon their commonpivot and are made of hook or substantially hook shape at one end toengage with the head or enlargement on the sliding member, whilst theirother and longer arms extend downwardly for a suitable distance atopposite sides of the sliding member. The hook shape extremities of thelevers may be yieldingly connected by suitable means, such as a lighthelical spring or springs, which will operate to prevent the accidentaldisengagement of the same from the head orv enlargement. Tn thetrame atthe top of the bucket there is pivoted a pair of L- shaped levers vvorbrackets which lat the rojecting arm carrygrooved rollers whic engagewas with the longer arms of'the bent levers. The brackets carrying thepivots for the roller levers may be fixed to plates which form portionofthe upper part of the bucket frame or part of a casing enclosing theautomatic bucket opening and closing arrangement. Springs are preferablyprovided for keeping the roller levers in their normal position with therollerarms substantially horizontal and the vertical arms in contactwiththe brackets.

A spring is preferably provided around the upperend of the rod'or barwhich is attached' to the bottom, above the guide for said rod, whichwill serve to buffer the sliding member when it falls and alsoyieldingly to support the weight ,ofthe bottom when'the body or sidesare raised and the bottomsuspended by its rod orbar.

'Tfthe bucket is to be used for the transportation of liquids thensuitable means will be employed for making a water-tight joint betweenthe lower edge of thesides or body and the movable bottom.

1f the bucket is to be used for depositing material under water, thenthe automatic opening'and closing means may be enclosed in a water-tightcasing andthe latter be fitted with stufiing boxes and. glands for thedraw bar and suspension rod or bar for the bottomof the bucket, to workthrough.

It is tobe understood that the bottom of the bucket may be constructedin one or more parts hingedly connected to the body and'said hingedparts be operated from the suspension rod through the medium ofconnec'ting rods or links.

Int'he accompanying drawings I illustrate an embodiment of the inventionwherein,

Fig; 1 shows portion of the body of the bucket with the bottom in theclosed position and the suspension and automatic releasing andre-engaging means in the positions they assume when the bucket is closedand the suspension means raised to lift said bucket.

Fig. 2 is a view of the automatic releasing and re-engaging means in thepositions they assume after the bucket has been lowered on to the dumpor support and the said means has operated to release the suspensionmeans, and

Fig. 3 is a View similar to 1 with the bottom in the open position, andthe suspension and automatic releasing and re-en gaging means in thepositions they assume when the bucket is open.

In Figs. 1 and 2, 1 denotes the body of vthe bucketshown of cylindricalshape2 the conical lower portion thereof and 3 the conical upper portionof the same. 4 is the bottom which is adapted, as shown in Fig.

3, to form the discharge opening 5 for the material when the bucket'isopen. 6 are guides fixed to the bottom 4, which guides engage in parts 7forming guideways and fixed to the bottom of the body 1 at the inside.These parts may be of any suitable construction.

The bottom, which is shown of truncated conical shape, so as tofacilitate the discharge of the material through the opening 5 when thebucket is open, has attached to it at the centre, the verticalsuspension rod or bar 8, which bar extends up through the bucket andpasses through a guide 9 at the top of the bucket. 10 are the stays orcross pieces which carry the guide 9. The upper portion of the rod orbar 8 is preferably made of square or polygonal cross-section, asillustrated at 11, and the guide 9 of corresponding interior shape toprevent rotation of the rod or bar 8. 12 is a helical spring which restsupon the top of the guide magnitude to ensure the due and properoperation of said member 13.

18 is the draw-bar which is shown provided with the shackle 19 forreceiving the hook on the end of the rope of the crane, winch or thelike. This draw-bar works through a guide 20 which may, as shown, bemade of two parts suitably connected together. The guide 20 is fixed ina framework 21 which may constitute a housing for the automaticreleasing and re-engaging means, and this framework or housing may, asshown, be rigidly attached to the top of the frame by means of themembers 22 of the frame. The draw-bar 18 is made of square or othersuitable polygonal shape in cross-section and its guide 20 is of similarinternal shape to preclude rotation of the draw-bar in said guide. Thedraw-bar 18 is constructed with a bifurcated lower er:- tremity 23 whichcarries the pin 24 which serves as the fulcrum for the two oppositelydisposed bent or curved levers. 25, 26 are the hook-shaped arms of thetwo levers and 27, 28. the longer and depending arms, so that the onelever consists of the two arms 25, 27. and the other of the two arms 26,28. The hook-shaped ends of the arms 25, 26, are shaped so that they areadapted to engage (as shown in Fig. 1,) with the shoulders orprojections on the head or enlargement 15 of the sliding member 13. Thehook-shaped extremities 25, 26, are yieldingly connected together bymeans of a suit- This member is of square able light helical spring (orsprings) 29 which may, as shown, be attached to the arms 25, 26, bymeans of outwardly extending pins 30, 31, which extend outwardlysufiiciently far to place the spring (or springs) 29 clear of themovement of the sliding member 13.

32, 33 are the oppositely disposed brackets fixed to the frame 21, and34, 35, the L- shaped levers or brackets, which are pivotally carried bythe brackets 32, 33, in such manner that the one arm is horizontal whenthe other is vertical and in engagement with its bracket 32 or 33, whichserves as stops for the levers 34, 35, when in that position.

36, 37, are the grooved rollers which are rotatably supported in theouter ends of the levers 34, respectively, in which grooves the outersides of the long arms 27, 28, engage, and with which they preferablyremain in contact in all positions of said levers under the influence ofthe springs (or spring) 29. 38, 39, are bow springs which are secured attheir one end to the brackets 32, 33, respectively, and at their otherends engage the L-shaped levers s4, 35, respectively, at the sides ofthe rollers, and operate to tend to maintain said levers in the normalposition, with the roller arms horizontal.

In the operation of the arrangement, when the load is being transportedthe parts are in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1. Thetotal weight of the bucket and its load is carried by the draw-bar 18,through the hook-shaped arms 25, 26, of the levers, sliding member 13,pin 15 and suspension rod or bar 8, which is attached to the bottom 4:.When the full bucket has been lowered on to the support or dump at thedischarging point, the rope ot the crane, etc., is payed out for asuitable short distance, which results in the rollers 36, 37, forcingthe longer arms 27, 28, of the levers towards each other, which movesthe hook-shaped arms 25, 26, of the levers apart until they disengagethe head or enlargement 16, whereupon the sliding member 13 falls downthe squared upper portion 11 of the rod 8 on to the butler spring 12.The parts are shown in this position in Fig. 2.

The motion of the crane rope is now reversed and the draw-bar is drawnupwards, so that it slides through the guide 20 until the bi furcatedend engages with the bottom of the guide 20. In. this movement thelonger arms 27, 28, of the levers remain in contact with the groovedguide rollers 36, 37. Further upward movement of the draw bar 18 raisesthe sides or body 1 of the bucket off the bottom 1, which latter, iflifted, is then suspended by the rod or bar 8, the sliding member 13then resting on the buffer spring 12. The parts are shown in thisposition in Fig. 3. The load is discharged either by maintaining thebody raised off the bottom or by lifting the body and suspended bottomtogether, atterthe former has been raised.

On returning to the loading point and lowering the bucket, the body 1 islowered on to the bottom, and the rod or bar 8 is pushed up in thesliding member, so that the connecting pin 15 is now near the top of theslots 14. The crane rope is now payed out to lower the draw-bar whichfalls through its guide and lowers the levers 25, 27, and 26, 28. Thelonger arms 27 28, of the levers passdown between and in contact withthe rollers 36, 37, until the hook-shaped arms 25, 26, contact with thehead or enlargement 16, which has the effect, under the influence of theweight of the draw-bar 18 and parts attached'thereto. of moving the arms25, 26, apart sufficiently to allow them to pass down the sides of thehead or en largement 16, whereupon they are drawn inwards or-towardseach other by the spring (or springs) 29, and so caused to reenga-gewith the shoulders or projections on said head or enlargement 16.

The crane rope is now taken in by moving it in the opposite direction.This lifts the draw-bar 18 through its guide 20, and the hook-shapedends 25, 26, of the levers raise the sliding member 13 until the pin 15is again at the bottom of the slots 14, as shown in Fig. 1. During thisupward movement of the levers, the longer arms 27, 28, move upwards incontact with their respective rollers 36, 37, and raise the latter aboutthe pivots of their supporting brackets 34, 35, against the action ofthe springs 38, 39, which operate to return the rollers to their normalposition, as the leversapproach their uppermost position. This againplaces the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patentis 1. A bottom discharge bucket comprising, in combination, a bodyportion having abottom connected thereto, said parts being adapted tomove apart in order to empty the bucket, suspension means slidably butnondetachably connected to the body portion" and adapted to be actuatedby a single rope, means for detachably connecting the bottom to thesuspension means, and means carried by the suspension means and adaptedautomatically to make the direct connection between the suspension meansand the bottom to close the bucket.

2. A bottom discharge bucket comprising, in combination, a body portionhaving a bottom connected thereto, said parts being adapted to moveapart'in order to empty the bucket, a draw-bar slidingly butnondetachably connected to the body portion and adapted to be actuatedby a single rope, a rod for detachably connecting the bottom to thedraw-bar, said rod having a member which is slidingly but nondctachablyconnected thereto and means carried by the draw-bar which detachablyengage with said member automatically to make the direct connectionbetween the draw-bar and the rod to close the bucket.

i? A bottom discharge bucket comprising, in combination, a body portionhaving a bottom connected thereto, said parts being adapted to moveapart in order to empty the bucket, a draw-bar slidingly butnon-detachably connected to the body portion and adapted to be actuatedby a single rope, a rod for detachably connecting the bottom to thedraw-bar, said rod having a member which is slidingly but non-detachablyconnected thereto, said member being constructed at or near the top withan enlargement forming shoulders and pivoted hook-shaped levers carriedby the drawbar and adapted to engage with the shoulders automatically tomake the connection between the drawbar and the rod to close the bucket.

4. A bottom discharge bucket comprising, in combination, a body portionhaving a bottom connected thereto, said parts being adapted to moveapart in order to empty the bucket, a draw-bar slidingly butnon'detachably connected to the body portion and adapted to be actuatedby a single rope, a rod for detachably connecting the bottom to thedraw-bar, said rod having a member which is slidingly but non-detachablyconnected thereto, a guide for the rod, a spring arranged around the rodabove the guide for buffering the member when it falls down said rod,and means carried by the draw-bar which detachably engage with saidmember automatically to make the direct connection between the draw-barand the rod to close the bucket.

5. A bottom discharge bucket comprising, in combination, a body portionhaving a bottom connected thereto, said parts being adapted to moveapart in order to empty the bucket, a draw-bar slidingly butnon-detachably connected to the body portion and adapted to be actuatedby a single rope, a rod for detachably connecting the bottom to thedraw-bar, said rod having a member which is slidingly but non-detachablyconnected thereto, said member being constructed at or near the top withan enlargement forming shoulders, oppositely disposed hook-shaped leverscarried by the draw-bar and adapted to engage with the shouldersautomatically to make the connection between the draw-bar and the rod toclose the bucket, and a spring attached to the levers.

6.- A bottom discharge bucket comprising,

in combination, a body portion having a bot tom connected thereto, saidparts being adapted to move apart in order to empty the bucket, adraw-bar slidingly but non-detachably connected to the body portion andadapted to be actuated by a single rope, a rod for detachably connectingthe bottom to the drawbar, said rod having a member which is slidinglybut non-detachably connected thereto, said member being constructed ator near the top with an Gilli ;ement torining shoulders, oppositelydisposed hook-shaped levers carried by the draw-bar and adapted toengage with the shoulders automatically to make the connection betweenthe draw-bar and the rod to close the bucket, a spring attached to thelevers, said hook-shaped levers being constructed with downwardlyextending bent or curved arms, and means which operate to move said armstowards each other and so cause the hooked ends to disengage theslidable and non-detachable member when the bucket is on a support andthe single suspension rope is lowered.

7. A bottom discharge bucket comprising, in combination, body portionhaving a bottom connected thereto, said parts being adapted to moreapart in order to empty the bucket, a draw-bar slidingly butnondetachably connected to the body portion and adapted to be actuatedby a single rope, a rod for detachably connecting the bottom to thedraw-bar, said rod having a member which is slidingly but non-detachablyconnected thereto, said member being constructed at or near the top withan enlargement forming shoulders, oppositely disposed hooleshaped leverscarried by the draw-bar and adapted to engage with the shouldersautomatically to make the connection between the draw-bar and the rod toclose the bucket, a spring attached to the levers, said hook-shapedlevers being constructed with downwardly extending bent or curved arms,and means which operate to move said arms towards each other and socause the hooked ends to disengage the slidable and non-detachablemember when the bucket is on a support and the single suspension rope islowered, said means comprising grooved rollers carried by L-shapedbrackets pivoted to the body portion and springs for returning saidbrackets to the normal position on the upward movement of the levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GlUSEiPE ANTONIO PIETRO PROVAY.

Witnesses JOSE LnoroLno DE FARIA, ARTHUR THOMPSON.

